Ranike missing from 2nd challan in fund embezzlement case

Former minister Gulzar Singh Ranike, who was under scanner in the embezzlement of discretionary funds, is not on the challan list of the case to be submitted by the Amritsar vigilance bureau (VB) at a court here on Monday.

"There are 32 names on the challan of FIR number 285 registered in June this year, including prime accused Sarabdyal Singh, the former personal assistant of Ranike," said Amritsar VB senior superintendent of police Opinderjit Singh. "Although we had questioned the former minister, nothing concrete was found against him."

Sarabdyal allegedly embezzled Rs 3.19 crore from the discretionary fund of Ranike through fake cheques and sarpanches and with the connivance of bank officials.

The VB had already submitted the challan regarding FIR number 175 in October. In this, it was alleged that Sarabdyal, along with others, had embezzled Rs 74 lakh from a central fund meant for development of villages in Attari. In this challan too, there was no mention of Ranike.